History Doesn’t Always Repeat Itself
When the angels visited our school to protect us from The Westboro Church
I used to believe that history indefinitely repeated itself. History is certainly cyclical in its happenings, but the results don’t stay the same. The “change” brought about by the event — and the reaction to it — becomes worse. The above photo references an event that occurred 13 years and six days ago: the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and the deaths of six of her constituents, including nine-year-old Christina Taylor-Green. Christina, born on 9/11, would have voted in 2022.
Thirteen years. It’s hard to believe that much time has passed and the country has changed so dramatically — and not for the better. The history person inside me continues to have a difficult time adjusting to — and accepting — changes since Reagan, and I cringe when I hear of some new law or policy designed to keep us “safer,” or make our lives “better” through restricting the rights of marginal groups — like women.
Being a teacher during traumatic events like these is more difficult than those outside the profession realize. We are a different type of first responder. We’re the ones who have to calm children and explain what just happened — as if we ourselves know the answers. We have to hold back our own grief, as well…
